Filling-detecting mechanism for looms.



u'nirnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR E. BENSON, OF AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, MISSISSIPPI, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER COMPANY, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA- TION OF MAINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1906.

Application filed September 28, 1905. Serial No. 280,445.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR E. BENsoN, a citizen of the United States, residin at Agricultural College, -county of Oktibbeia, State of. Mississippi, have invented an Improvement in Filling-Detecting Mechanism for Looms, of which the following description, in

connection with the accompanying drawmgs, is a specification, like numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to the filling-detecting mechanism of a loom whereby the presenceor absence of the running filling is detected; and it has for its object the production of means whereby the filling-fork is positively restored to detecting position if necessary, the reboundin tendency of the fork also being diminishe The various novel features of my invention will be fully described in the subjoined specification, and particularly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of so much of the filling detecting mechanism of a loom as pertains to my invention with one form of the invention embodied therein, the nearer side of the fork support or slide being broken out, the parts being shown in detecting position; and Fig. 2 is a similar view, but showing the parts in their relative position after the detecting action of the fork.

The stand or guide 1, the fork support or slide 2, longitudinally movable therein upon detection of filling failure, the cross-bar or hook-support 3, and weft hammer or vibrator 4 may be and are all of well-known construction and operate as usual.

Upon a transverse fulcrum-pin 5 at the rear end of the fork-slide the filling-fork is mounted, said fork comprisin a body 6, tines 7 to engage the filling w en present, and a tail 8, and in accordance with my present invention I have provided the body with a depending extension 9. This extension tends to lower the center of gravity of the fork as a whole, and thereby causes the fork to be more in a condition of stable or balanced equilibrium when in detecting posi-' tion, as shown in Fig. 1. The resistance of the fork to tilting movement by en agement with the filling is thereby diminishe and the above the hook-shoulder.

filling is in consequence subjected to less strain.

As will appear hereinafter, the extension 9 has another functionin assisting the return of the fork to detecting position by a positive action.

The hook 10, pivotally connected with the weft-hammer 4 at 11, is of peculiar construction in that it has an enlarged or cam portion 12 on its under side adjacent its free end, and between the upturned shoulder 13 and the tip of the hook the latter is built up to form a second cam-surface 14. p

When the weft-hammer is back, (see Fig. 1,) the cam portion 12 is beyond the support 3, and the hook is in its lowest position, the fork-tail 8 restin on the top of the hook in front of its shoul er 13, the fork then being in detecting position, the tip of the hook at such time being quite close to the extension 9.

As the lay beats up on the detecting-pick the weft-hammer moves forward, and the tip of the hook is moved forward away from the extension '9, so as to permit the fork to be tilted if the fillin is present to lift the tail 8 At the same time the cam portion 12 rides up on the support v8, lifting the hook, and thereby moving its tip upward, the forward and {upward movement of the tip permitting a free tilting of the filling-fork. If the fillin is absent, the hook-shoulder and fork-tail cooperate, as usual, and the fork-slide 2 is moved outward to effect a change in the operation of the loom. Should the fork be tilted, however, the lifting of the hook by the cam 12 raises the cam-surface 14 to such a height that when the return movement of the fork takes place its tail 8 can move down a very short distance before it engages the cam-surface 14. This distance may be so slight that almost no descent of the tail takes place; but even if the fork be tilted into dotted-line position, Fig. 2, the fall of the tail is so much diminished that practically no rebound will follow, and the fork will remain in the fullline position until the inward stroke of the weft-hammer permits the hook to drop, and the tail then descends in front of the hookshoulder 13. As the hook moves back its tip Will engage the extension 9 should the fork for any reason fail to return promptly to normal position, and the slight blow struck upon the extension promptly and positively insures the return of the fork to detecting position. I

My invention is not restricted to the precise construction herein shown and described which embodies one practical form only of the invention, and various chan es or modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In filling-detecting mechanism for looms, a filling-fork adapted to be moved by engagement with the filling, and separate, positivelyacting means to insure return of the fork to detecting position.

2. In filling-detecting mechanism for looms, a movable support, a filling-fork fulcrumed thereon, a vibrating member to cooperate with the fork and thereby move its support upon detection of filling failure, and means whereby said member insures the return of the fork to detecting position.

3. In fillin g-d etectin g mechanism for looms, a filling-fork adapted to be tilted by engagement with the filling, an extension on the fork tending to balance the same in detectin position, and means adapted to engage said extension and insure return of the fork to detecting posltion.

4. In filling-detecting mechanism for looms, a filling-fork adapted to be tilted by engagement with the filling, a depending extension on the fork near to and below its axis, a vibrator, a hook thereon to cooperate with the fork upon detection of filling failure and thereby effect a change in the operation of the loom, and means to move the tip of the hook upward on the outward stroke of the vibrator and thereby permit free tilting movement of the fork when engaged by the filling, the tip of the hook and the extension cooperatin on the inward stroke, to insure return of'the ork to detecting position. 7

5. A fork-slide having a hook-support, a filling-fork fulcrumed on the slide, a tail to cooperate with the hook upon detection of filling failure, a vibrator, and a connected hook slidable on the hook-support and having a cam portion to ride thereon when the hook moves outward, to elevate the hook and temporarily limit the return movement of the fork'after it has been tilted.

6. A fork-slide, a filling-fork carried thereby provided with a tail and adapted to be tilted by engagement with the filling, a vibrating hook having a shoulder and a cam-surface between the shoulder and the tip of the hook, and means to lift the hook on its outward stroke to elevate the cam-surface and thereby limit descent of the fork-tail, to prevent rebound of the fork.

7. The combination, with a tiltable fillingfork, of a weft-hammer, a hook pivotally connected therewith, and means to lift the hook on the forward stroke of the weft-hammer, to cooperate with and decrease temporarily the return movement of the fork after it has been tilted.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR E. BENSON Witnesses:

FRANK T. CooxE, ROBERT (100KB. 

